In 1896, Thomas Edison was working on an idea to design a car when he heard that a young man who was working in his company had created an experimental car. Edison met the young man who happened to be Henry Ford.
He interviewed him about his experiment and he was impressed by the young man’s idea. Even though he also had the same idea that Henry Ford was working on. But instead of competing with the young man, he considered a type of car to be powered by electricity.
Edison encouraged and gave Ford the needed support to continue working on his experiment. With the help of Edison, Henry Ford successfully invented Ford cars, from there became the manufacturer of the popularly known car brand – Ford Motors, and later became wealthy.
On the 9th of December, 1914, Thomas Edison’s laboratory and factory got burnt. He was 67 years old and the damage was too severe for his insurance to cover. Before the ashes were cold, Henry Ford handed Edison a cheque of $750,000 with a note saying; “Edison can have more if it’s needed.”
In 1916, Henry Ford relocated to a house he built next to Thomas Edison’s house. Later years when Edison could not walk and was confined to a wheelchair, Henry Ford also built a wheelchair for himself so that he could run a wheelchair race with his friend and mentor; Thomas Edison.
*Worth Nothing*
Your most important asset is not your car, house, your fixed deposit, or the multimillion companies that you have. Your most important assets are your meaningful, productive, strategic relationships.
*Note:*
Thomas Edison made Henry Ford believe in himself and got a friend for a lifetime. Don’t ever be jealous of other people’s success. If you cannot win a race, help the person in front of you break the record.
*-Worth Thinking About-*
Putting out the candle light of your neighbour in the dark will not increase the brightness of your candle. Your candle loses nothing when it lights up another candle.
Sometimes, your ability to help other people achieve their goals are the required efforts to building strategic relationships that will someday become invaluable assets for you.
*Gbenga Emiloju (DMPII)*
